“Oh, you’re nonverbal?” she asked.
He jerked his head in a nod but was saved from having to make further efforts at communication when Havel finally made his way into the room. Clearly, he’d run into his share of obstructions, because the first thing out of his mouth when he arrived was, “I’m family.” When the nurse looked skeptical, he added, “Her brother.”
If Jozef hadn’t been so terrified for Shaun, he might have laughed. Havel was a big, ugly, broad, bald-headed Caucasian gangster while Shaun was a beautiful, delicate-featured black woman. They were so far from siblings even adoption was a leap.
“Uhh… and he is?” She gestured to Jozef.
“Her husband,” Havel grunted, standing next to Jozef with his bulging arms crossed over his chest.
“Can you tell me what happened? The more information we have, the better able we’ll be to treat her.”
“Poison,” Havel said steadily, his disturbed gaze sweeping Shaun’s bed.
The nurse looked alarmed, her gaze swinging to Jozef for confirmation.
Jozef nodded his agreement and reached into his pocket for the napkin. She was fine one minute, then after drinking some of her champagne she collapsed.
Havel interpreted what Jozef was saying to the nurse. “He says she was fine and then she had a drink and collapsed. When I arrived, she was already down, spitting up and convulsing.” He nodded his head to the napkin Jozef was holding. “He wiped up the leftover champagne with the napkin and brought it in case you need to identify the poison.”
The nurse rushed to the attending physician, speaking to him in rapid sentences. He nodded and replied, which sent her rushing back to their side. She pulled gloves from her pocket, put them on and reached for the napkin. “I’ll get this to the lab right away.”
As she left, Havel turned to Jozef, his back to the room so no one could see his lips as he spoke. “Who would poison her? There were dozens of people there, but they don’t know her well enough to want her dead.” He thought about it for a few seconds, then asked, “Giselle?”
Jozef shook his head. Eyes still on the glimpses he could get of Shaun as the hospital staff moved around her bed. Not her style.
“Then who?”
Jozef finally shifted his gaze to his second-in-command, but he didn’t speak.
Havel nodded his understanding. The only people who might gain from Shaun’s death all lived under the Koba roof. There was an enemy in their home. Havel placed his hand on Jozef’s shoulder and squeezed. “I’ll go hunting. You worry about your girl.”
Jozef hoped Havel could read the gratitude on his face. He didn’t doubt Havel for a second, and hearing the other man pledge his loyalty once more was exactly what he needed. He was too terrified for Shaun to think straight. He needed his men now more than ever. Needed them to have his back while he took care of his woman.
It was a strange sensation. For the first time in his life he was putting someone else first, someone other than his aunt, uncle and cousins. His entire life had been devoted to the Koba clan, yet in the course of a few short weeks, Shaun had come to mean everything to him. If his family had tried to have Shaun killed, he would destroy them.
A terrible beeping sound filled the room as Shaun stopped breathing and her heart rate began to plummet. Jozef and Havel were forcibly shoved from the room as Shaun was being intubated. The last glimpse Jozef was able to get was of her face, ashen and angelic in repose before the doors were slammed shut.
Chapter Forty-Four
Jozef did not get to see Shaun again before he was arrested for murder and kidnapping. True to Dasha’s words, the police arrived shortly after a relieved doctor came into the waiting room to reassure Jozef and Havel that Shaun had pulled through and was currently in a medically induced coma while they assessed her condition and researched the poison.
Jozef’s relief was such that he barely noticed as several police officers stormed through the hospital corridors, clearing them as they made their way to Jozef’s waiting room. Jozef received a message from Halil, who was watching the hospital for activity, warning them that the police were on their way.
Jozef jerked his head toward the door, indicating Havel should leave. I need you on the outside acting as my eyes and ears.
Havel shook his head, but backed toward the door, knowing Jozef was right. “I can’t leave you, brother.”
Jozef gave him a grim look. It’s my time to take this fall. We both knew this was coming the second you called emergency services.
“I’m sorry.” Havel’s eyes were troubled. He hated that Jozef was about to take the fall for the rescue of his uncle.
Go, they’ll be here soon.
Havel nodded and opened the door, glancing down the deserted hallway. Still he hesitated, then his expression grew angry and he pointed at Jozef, stabbing at the air. “I’ll get you out,” he growled. “No matter what happens, I’m coming for you.”
Jozef wasn’t given an opportunity to answer. Havel took off down a side hall, heading toward an exit door. He wasn’t the one the cops were looking for so he shouldn’t have any problems leaving the hospital. He was a known associate of Jozef’s, but Jozef didn’t think the police would grab Havel. They were here for him and he was going to make it easy for them. He would do it for Shaun. He wouldn’t shoot up the hospital that was dedicating itself to saving her life.
Jozef sank to his knees on the cool ugly tiles of the hospital floor and reached into his pocket, pulling out the heart necklace. He held it in between his laced fingers as he placed his hands behind his head. He had to wait about two minutes before the door was flung open and police officers filled the room, shouting at him to get down and stay down. He was roughly shoved to the floor and handcuffed while an officer read him his rights.
To be continued…
Coming Soon…
I hope you loved Sin of Silence. I’m working hard on the next book! Grab your preorder for the next book in Shaun’s and Jozef’s story, A Silent Reckoning (Sinner’s Empire Book 2). Available February 27th, 2020.
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Excerpt: Scarred Queen
Ignacio Hernandez had never before brought a woman to a meet. Then, they’d never met at a club before. The entire scene was unprecedented. Reyes didn’t do unprecedented, but he was willing to make an exception because he was curious. He could sever the Miami connection if he had to. It would cause some shockwaves, but it wasn’t out of the question. Ignacio was beginning to annoy him anyway. His poor decisions were beginning to affect the Bolivian. Such as bringing a woman like her to a meet with a man like him. Something that was meant to show off Ignacio’s power and wealth would become a big mistake.
His gaze flickered over the woman, calmly drinking her champagne and orange juice as though she weren’t sitting at a table with four of the most dangerous men on the continental East coast. Two kingpins and their right hands. Only Reyes didn’t think she was as calm as she appeared. Her wrist trembled slightly, giving her away. She had enough presence to make sure that tiny shake ceased by the time it got to her slim fingers where they clenched the crystal of her glass. It wasn’t the fingers or her ability to remain coolly poised while the men around her talked business that captured his curiosity. It was the mark on the back of her delicate hand, permanent slash lines, viciously marring her porcelain skin.